Package handling apparatus



March 31, 1959 A. c. SCHROEDER PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 17, 1956 A HORNE Y.

March 31, 1959 A. c. SCHROEDER 2,879,637

PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet IN VEN TOR.

72% I I I 1 MW E ATTORNEK March 31, 1959 A. c. SCHROEDER PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 17, 1956 w Y. T J E we N V 0 n N m c m JlY r B 4 .fl. w w w x 5 2 0 M 2 2 2 1 L .3 4 2 an X "a fl 2v |||l| E 4 n I. 0 7@ 3 2 4 5 m -l w i M 4 m. E1 Li 9 2 k MW 5 a 3 3 6 9 9 w 3 5 1| 0 3 r IF 2 9, J W MW 1 a. w 5 Lu m w FT f 4 l 4 .6

March 31, 1959 A. c. SCHROEDER PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 17, 1956 JNVENTOR. Safmede r.

March 31, 1959 A. c. SCHROEDER ,8

PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet I INVENTOR. firifiw'r C 62611] e14 ATTORNEY.

March 31, 1959 v A. c. SCHROEDER 2,879, 37

PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR. Arthur C Scfiro fiefl ATTORNEY.

United States Patent PACKAGE HANDLING APPARATUS Arthur C. Schroeder, Skaneateles, N.Y., assignor to Schroeder Machines Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application October 17, 1956, Serial No. 616,436 2 Claims. (Cl. 53 61) This invention relates to apparatus for accumulating a plurality of packages, advanced in a procession by a conveyor, and arranging the packages in a predetermined group pattern for insertion into a shipping case. At the present time, a large volume of packaged merchandise is shipped in corrugated paperboard boxes, or cases, gen; erally a plurality of packages being packed in each case.

Machines are employed for automatically removing the collapsed cardboard cases from a supply, expanding them to tubular formation, closing and sealing the end flaps at one end of the case, and positioning the conditioned case The invention consists in the novel features andinthe combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate.

corresponding parts in all the views.

In the drawings- Figure l is atop plan view of apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view looking to the left, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken on line 3- -3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view taken online 4-4, Figure 3, with parts omitted.

Figure 5 is a view, similar to Figure 4, illustrating the package supporting platen moved downwardly with one tier of packages on the platen.

Figure 6 is a view of one of the control valves and the actuating mechanism therefor.

Figure 7 is a view, similar to Figure 6, illustrating the valve therein tripped by an accumulation of packages on the supporting rails.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of'oneof the package supporting rails corresponding to line 8-8, Figure 5.

Figure 9 is a view, corresponding to Figure 8, illustrating the package supporting rail moved outwardly for the release of packages.

The frame includes a pair of supporting legs 20 to which are secured side members 21, as by bolts 22 The side members 21 are formed of angle iron and are supported at their opposite ends by the framework 24 of the casing machine, which may be of the type disclosed in said application, Serial No. 431,731, which functions to expand the. shipping case in horizontal position with the flaps at one outlet the case moved to open position. A 'u -shaped 2 bracket 25 is secured to the legs 20 and side members 21 by the bolts 22, and a similar bracket 26 is secured to the sidemembers 21 intermediate their ends, as by bolts 27. A cylinder structure 30 is mounted on the horizontal inter 5 mediate portions 31 of these brackets. A vertically dis;

posed plate 32 is fixed to a cross member 33 which, in

turn, is secured to the outer end of the piston rod 34, see,

Figure 3.

Bars 36 are fixedly secured to one of the side members 21 and extend upwardly therefrom. A pair of bars 38 are fixed to the rear side member 21, these bars terminat ing a distance above the bars 36. Horizontally disposed;

bars 40, 41, are fixedly secured to the uprights 36, 38.

A U-shaped bracket 42 is fixed to the bars 40, 41, as "by.

screws 43-suhstantially midway between the upright bars 36, 38, and a cylinder structure 44 is mounted upon the bracket 42.

A cross piece 50 is secured to the lower end of the piston rod of the piston and cylinder structure 44. This plate 50 extends in a direction parallel to the side mem:

bers 21 and has atfixed to its ends bars 51 extending in adirection perpendicular to the side members 21. These bars 51 are bent upwardly at one end, as at 53, and are bent upwardly at their opposite ends, as at 54.

The vertically extending bars 36, 38, form a vertically disposed chute or guideway for the accumulated packages.

The packages are advanced in a procession by a suitable conveyor, such as a conventional belt conveyor indicated at 57, Figure 1, the procession of packages moving trans?v versely of the side members 21 onto a plate 53 secured to the upper ends of the bars 36, see Figure 2. The pack ages are advanced or pushed, by the conveyor, across the,

plate 58 onto a pair of package supporting rails 60. These rails 60 are in the form of circular shaped rods fixed, as by welding, to plates 61. The lower end portions of the plates 61 are bent inwardly, as at 62, under the rods 60. The upper edges of the bent over, as at 63, with the bent over portions resting upon the bars 40, 41, and are retained thereon againstdisplacement by pins 64 carried by the bars 40, 41, andextending through enlarged apertures in the bent-over portions 63.

The plates 61 are formed with enlarged apertures 64 to receive studs 65 fixedly mounted in the bars 40, 41, andextending outwardly plates 61. of the studs 65, and acts between the plates 61 and nuts 68 threaded on the outer ends of the studs. With this arrangement, the plates 61 are yieldingly pressed against the outer side surfaces of the bars4tl, 4 1, and the arrangement is such that the rails 60 normally have a portion projecting inwardly from the inner side surface of the bars 40, 41, as shown more clearly in Figure 8. In this position, the rails 60 receive and support the packages indicated by dotted outline at 7 i by the bottom side edges.

The spacing between the side plates 36, 38 and accordtherefrom through the apertured ingly, the length of the rails 60, is sufficient to accom and there is affixed to the upper end of the piston rod a.v

platen 75, this platen being dimensioned comparable with the enclosure formed by the upright bars 36, 38. With the piston rod in its upper position, as shown in Figure 3,

the platen 75 is positioned a distance below the laterally yieldable rails 60. After a series or row of packages has been advanced onto the rails 60, the first package, indi-. cated at A, Figure 4, engages an arm 77 and effects Patented Mar. 31, 1959 plates 61, see Figures 8 and 9, are

A compression spring 67 is positioned on each movement of said arm in a counter-clockwise direction,- Figure 4, about its pivotal mounting 78.

The arm 77 is fixedly secured to a latch 80 which is movable into engagement with a pin 81, Figures 6 and 7. The pin 81 is carried by a lever 82 which constitutes the actuating member of a valve 83. The valve 83 is mounted upon a bracket 84 fixedly secured to a cross member 85 fixed'to the upper ends of the bars '38, as by bolts 39.

"*In'fFigure 6, the latch 80 is engaged with the pin 81 and, with the lever 82 latched in this position, fluid pressure is applied through conduit 87 to the lower end of the cylinder 44 and to the lower end of the cylinder 73 through conduit 88. The lever 82 is urged in a counter clockwise direction, Figures 6 and 7, by a spring 89 attached to a member 90 carried by bracket 84. When a row or series of packages have been advanced on the rails 60, the first package 70A engages the arm 77 to efiect clockwise movement of the latch 80 about its pivot 78 to unlatch the lever 82, as illustrated in Figure 7, wherein bars 51 have been moved downwardly but valve 83 has not been reset. Counter-clockwise movement of the unla'tched lever 82 then takes place by action of spring 89 effecting actuation of the valve 83 to supply air to the upper end of the cylinder 44 through conduit 91 and simultaue'ously, to exhaust fluid pressure from the lower end of cylinders 44, 73, whereupon the bars 51 move downwardly to engage the row of packages and move the same downwardly to eifect release of the packages from rails 60 and push the platen 75 downwardly. This downward movement being somewhat greater than the distance necessary to position the packages below the rails 60. During this downward movement, the rails 60 because of their circular cross section are readily cammed outwardly against the action of spring 67, see Figure 9, to permit release and downward movement of the packages onto the platen and movement of the platen downwardly.

As previously explained, the bars 51 are bent upwardly atitheir ends and there is adjustably secured to one of the bent up ends 53 an arm 92 which carries, at its upper end, a laterally extending portion 93. The arm 92 is provided with an elongated slot 94, Figure 3, to receive bolts 95 to provide for vertical adjustment of the arm 92 relative to the plate 51. There is mounted upon the pivot 78 v an angle lever having an upwardly extending leg 96 and a laterally extending leg 97. The upwardly extending leg 96 has attached to its upper end a spring 98 connected tothe lever 82. The spring 98 is capable of exerting a greater force than the spring 89. The laterally extending leg 97 is positioned to be engaged by the laterally extending portion 93 of the arm 92 upon descent of the bars 51. The arrangement is such that when the plates 51 move downwardly to move the row of packages a short distance below the rails 60 and below the arm 77, the portion 93 engages the leg 97, moving the angle lever in a clockwise direction, Figures 6 and 7, about its pivot to effect clockwise movement of the lever 82, through spring 98, to its normal position shown in Figure 6. At this time, the packages have been moved below the arm 77 whereby it is moved in a counter-clockwise direction by the spring 89, so that the latch 80 re-engages the pin 81, as shown in Figure 6. This effects a connection of the upper end of cylinder 44 to atmosphere and the application of fluid pressure to the lower ends of the cylinders 44, 73, whereby the bars 51 are returned to their up position, and the platen 75 is moved upwardly until the packages positioned thereon engage the under side of the portions 62 of rails 60. This is shown in Figure 5, wherein the packages are designated at 708. The upwardly eittending bent portions 54of the arms 51 extend upwardly a considerable distance and serve to restrain advancement of the packages by the conveyor 57 during thedownward movement of the packages from rails 60 onto the platen 75. Upon the upward return of the plates 51, another series of packages are permitted to be advanc'ed forwardly by the conveyor 57 onto-the rails 60 and; upon the advancement of such succeeding series of packages, the arm 77 is again actuated to effect operation of. the valve 83 for movement of said succeeding succession of packages downwardly below the rails 60. This procedure is repeated until the platen is moved downwardly until one of the packages in the bottom row positioned upon the platen 75 engages the pad 99, see Figure 3.

The pad 99 is mounted on a stem 100 slidably mounted in a bearing support 101 afiixed to a plate 102. The plate is fixed to a cross member 103 affixed to the side rail 24 of the casing machine. Downward movement of the stem 100 actuates a valve 104 which, when actuated, supplies fluid pressure through the conduit 105 to the rear end of the cylinder 30, causing the transfer plate 32 to advance the packages, accumulated on the platen 75, into a carton (not shown) located to the left of platen 75, Figure 1. It is to be understood the carton or case is positioned in the casing machine with one open end confronting the packages accumulated on the platen.

Actuation of the valve 104 also supplies pressure through conduit 106 to the upper end of cylinder 73 to make certain that the platen 75 remains in down position during the advancement of the transfer plate 32. A'

rod 110 is afiixed at one end to the plate 32, see Figures 1 and 2, and carries an actuator 111 which, upon forward movement of the plate 32, engages a pin 113 mounted in a" square plate 114 mounted for rotation about a pivot 115. The .pin 113 extends upwardly and downwardly from the plate 114 and there is a similar pin 116 in the diagonally opposite corner of the plate, see Figure 1. 'In eachof the remaining corners there are fixed depending pins 117, 118. The plate 114 is yieldingly maintained in the position shown in Figure 1, by a spring pressed bar' 119 engaging one side edge of the plate.

When the actuator 111 moves forwardly and engages the downwardly projecting portion of the pin 113, the plate 114 is rotated 90' in a clockwise direction, Figure 1. This affects movement of the pin 117 into engagement with 'anactuator 118' for a valve 120 which, when actuated, supplies fluid pressure through conduit 121 to a piston and cylinder structure 122 mounted on the lower end of plate 102, Figure 3, and which, when actuated, resets the valve 104 to relieve pressure in the upper end of the cylinder 73 to apply pressure to the left end of cylinder 30, Figures 1 and 3, through the conduit 123, which also supplies pressure to a valve 124. This effects return movement of the pusher plate 32, which carries a rearwardly extending member 125, Figure 3, and upon the return of the transfer plate, this member effects actuation of the valve 124. This valve is connected in series with the valve 83 which was tripped upon the descent of the plates 51 in moving the last row of packages onto the platen 75 and moving the platen downwardly, this trippi'ngoperation' being brought about by the engagement of the member 93 with the arm 97, as previously described.

When the pusher plate 32 moves forwardly, the valve 124 was moved to closed position to shut oil the fluid supply to the valve 83 whereby the presser bars 51 remain in down position while the pusher plate 32 pushed the accumulated group of packages into the carton 106. However, upon the return of the plate 32 and resetting of the valve 124, fluid pressure is furnished to the valve 83 which, in its then tripped position, furnishes fluid pressure to the bottom of the cylinder 43 to effect upward movement of the bars 51 and at the same time to apply fluid pressure to the lower end of the cylinder 73 to 'move the platen to its upper position, as shown in "Figure 3.

plate 32 before the carton 106 is advanced from the filling position and. the flaps of the carton closed and sealedby the casing machine.

The package accumulating and inserting device herein described functions ,to insert two groups of packages into the shipping case. In the arrangement thus far described, the apparatus is now ready to accumulate another group pattern of packages onto the platen 75 and transfer them into the case. The machine functions as described for the accumulation of the second group pattern of packages and when-the group is complete, with the platen 75 thereby moved to its low position, the pad 99 is depressed to effect operation of the transfer plate 32, as previously described. In the described. In the previous operation of the transfer member, it will be recalled the pin 113, which projects above and below the plate 114, was moved to the position formerly occupied by the pin 117, as shown in Figure 1. The pin 118, which only extends downwardly from the plate 114, has been moved to the lower right hand corner position, Figure 1, previously occupied by the pin 113 whereby, upon the second advancement of the transfer plate 32, the actuator 111 engages this pin 118 effecting another 90 rotative movement of the plate 114. This effects operation of the valve 120 by the pin 113, and it also effects operation of a second valve 130 which has an actuator 131 overlying the upper surface of the plate 114 engaged by the upwardly extending portion of pin 116 which, at the beginning of this second movement, is positioned in the upper right hand corner of the plate 114, Figure l. Actuation of the valve 120 effects return movement of the transfer plate 32, as previously described. The actuated valve 130 recycles the casing machine to move the then filled case forwardly, and to move an empty case in registration with the apparatus.

If the accumulation of one group pattern of packages on the platen 75 is sufficient to fill the case, the valve 120 may be actuated directly by the member 111 and provide fluid pressure when actuated, not only to return the transfer member 32, but to also initiate the recycling of the casing machine. In the example shown, the actuating member 118 of valve 120 is positioned below the plate 114 while the actuating member 118 of valve 130 is positioned above the plate and, as also previously stated, the pins 113, 116, extend upwardly from the plate, as well as depending downwardly therefrom. This arrangement provides operation of the valve 120 for each movement of the transfer member and operation of the valve 130 for alternate movements of the transfer member. It will be apparent that the plate 114 may be formed with more than four sides and be provided with more than two series of pins whereby to provide additional operations of the transfer member for the filling of each case.

It is preferable that the platen 75 be provided with an aperture 140 arranged in registration with the pad 99 whereby when the platen 75 has been moved to its lowermost position by the accumulation of the group pattern of packages, as previously explained, the pad will be contacted by a package rather than by the platen 75. One of the reasons for this arrangement is that the machine might be stopped with only one or two rows of packages accumulated on the platen, and the platen might eventually descend to its lowermost position through the loss of fluid pressure by leaks in the system and if the platen depressed the pad 99, the transfer member would be operated through its cycle of movement inserting less than a full group pattern of packages into the case.

It will be understood that the apparatus is dimensioned according to the group pattern of packages to be inserted into a given size shipping case. The apparatus functions entirely automatically-the conveyor 57 operating continuously to convey the packages to the apparatus and it will be obvious that the arrangement is such that the package depresser is not actuated until a full row of packages have been moved by the conveyor onto the rails 60. With this arrangement, it is assured that each shipping case will always be completely packed before the casing machine is initiated on a cycle of its operation.

What I claim is: 1. Apparatus for accumulating a plurality of packages advanced in a procession by a package conveyor .and-

' spaced apart relation with like ends adjacent to and arranged in registration with said conveyor to receive and support packages by their bottom side edges, said rails being supported in the frame for movement outwardly from the sides of the packages upon application of downward pressure thereon for release of the packages, means yieldingly restraining said outward movement of said rails, a package supporting platen mounted below said rails, a vertically disposed piston and cylinder structure operable to move said platen toward and from said rails, a package presser member mounted above said rails, a second vertically disposed piston and cylinder structure for moving said presser member downwardly to engage and exert downward pressure on packages positioned on said rails, 21 valve having an actuating member arranged for engagement by the leading package of a group advanced by said conveyor on said rails, said valve being operable upon engagement of said actuating member by said leading package to apply fluid pressure to the upper end of said second cylinder to move said pressure member downwardly and to release fluid pressure from the lower end of said platen cylinder, and a transfer member movable transversely of said platen for the transfer of packages accumulated thereon into a shipping case.

2. Apparatus for accumulating a plurality of packages advanced in a procession by a conveyor and arranging the packages in a predetermined group pattern for insertion into a shipping case comprising a frame, a pair of package supporting rails extending in parallel spaced apart relation for temporarily supporting packages by their bottom side edges, said rails being arranged with like ends adjacent to and in registration with said conveyor to receive packages therefrom, said supporting rails being mounted for movement outwardly from the packages to release the same upon application of downward pressure on the packages, means yieldingly restraining said outward movement of said rails, a package supporting platen mounted below said rails, a vertically disposed fluid operated piston and cylinder structure operable to move said platen toward and from said rails, a package presser member mounted above said rails, a second piston and cylinder structure vertically disposed for moving said presser member toward and from said platen to engage and exert downward pressure on packages positioned on said rails to move the packages onto said platen, a valve having an actuating member arranged at the ends of said rails opposite to said like ends for engagement by the leading package of a group advanced on said rails by said conveyor, said valve being normally positioned to supply fluid pressure to the lower ends of said cylinders and being operable upon said leading package engaging said actuator to exhaust the fluid pressure in the bottom of said cylinders and to apply fluid pressure to the upper end of said second cylinder whereby the packages positioned on said rails are moved downwardly onto the platen and said plate is moved downwardly, means carried by said presser for resetting said actuating member when the upper edges of the packages have been moved downwardly below said rails to supply fluid pressure to the lower ends of said cylinders to effect upward movement of said presser and upward movement of said platen to move the packages thereon against the under sides of said rails, a transfer member normally positioned laterally of the vertical path traveled by said platen, a horizontally disposed piston and cylinder structure for moving said.

asides? transfer member laterally of--the-rplaten-to transfer the au valve means operable to fli m men -ofw packages thereon to a shipping ease, a second valve nor said transfer member. Y mally supplying fluid pressure to one end of said horizontally disposed cylinder to maintain said transfer mem- Referen ces Cited in the file of this patent her in normal position and being operable, upon engage- 6 I ment by said platen when said platen and packages there- UNITED STATES PATENTS on have been moved downwardly a predetermined dis- 817,375 Keyes .7- Apr. 10,1906 tance to supply fluid pressure to the opposite end of said 1,851,457 Smith Mar. 29, 1932 cyiinder to move said transfer member laterally'across 2,671,998 Demler Mar. 16, 1954 the platen to effect transfer of the packages therefrom, 10 2,744,369 Seragnoli May 8,1956 

